


[ dσn't run frσm mє rívєr ]

by falsely_true



Series: detroit: become human [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 are Twins, CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 Has a Different Name, Deviant CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60, Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Emotionally Constipated Character, F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Other, Still Don't Know How To Use Tags, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, good ending, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 11:43:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18659752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falsely_true/pseuds/falsely_true
Summary: nines filed the results of the system check to the back of his mind, to be analysed later, and sighed. he wasn’t originally programmed to sigh, but he sure did it alot nowadays.he sighed once more. this check would most likely return like the previous few, [ all systems optimal; functionality: 100% ]. so why does his processor stutter, causing him to freeze and catch his voice in his throat, when he was around you?there was only one logical explanation: he was broken.





	[ dσn't run frσm mє rívєr ]

**Author's Note:**

> **pairing:** upgraded connor | rk900/gender-neutral!reader
> 
>  **genre:** hurt/comfort
> 
>  **a/n:** ya boi is an idiot who made more wips than he could handle,,,, but anyway i wanted to write a nines fic because,,,,,,,,,,,, idk inspiration struck?  
> i must admit i had no idea where i was going w this fic skfksfjaskdfhjk  
> btw nines is deviant in this fic, i just have a hc that since he was forced into deviancy (unlike the 3 protagonists who reached some sort of catharsis) he isn’t as familiar with emotions as those 3, hence his difficulty identifying and expressing them.  
> also rk800-60 and rk900 have assigned names, being colin (nickname sixty) and conan (nickname nines) respectively.  
> connor is just connor lmao,,,,,  
> i am god in my fics and i decide that my 3 bois are bros and happy lil deviants,,,,  
> mk, go!

the ambiance inside the bar was loud and suffocating.  
many people came to celebrate an officer’s promotion to detective, and while nines wasn’t particularly close to them, he showed up regardless (although a certain duo of rk800 models may or may not have had something to do with his decision).  
mere formalities; he politely congratulated them and stepped away to ruminate on his own in a corner, absently watching the scene in front of him.  
for a reason that escaped him, he was (disappointed?) (hurt?) that you got along with colin.  
he still experienced anomalies in his system when near you, even after being told that he was perfectly fine at the maintenance centre. if the problem wasn’t from within, then there was only one probable cause: an outside factor. a recurring event. one that triggered these anomalies. you.

so he requested to change partners. now, he really wished he didn’t.

while you have taken to your new partner wonderfully, he wasn’t as gracious with his. between reed’s incessant snide remarks and overall unwillingness to cooperate, he’d much rather be deactivated.  
he found himself missing your partnership. for one, your cooperativeness was a relief. you were determined, passionate and kind. truthfully, he missed you. the shine in your eyes when you find a lead, your composure and professionalism, the soothing quality of your voice, the way you’d let you hand linger in his, how your features softened when you smiled—smiled at hi—  
he caught himself. why did that last part come to mind? how did you still manage to affect him when you’re so far away?  
he was about to check why when a laughter caught his attention. your ~~wonderful~~ laughter. One he was oh so familiar with. you were laughing with his brother, probably at another of his bad jokes. seeing you happy with him stirred an ugly feeling inside him. one that he did not recognise nor acknowledge. one that caused him to glare at his older counterpart.

he was miserable after parting ways from you, having to deal with reed’s complaining. he was hurt, he was away from you and it didn’t feel right. this distance between you two manifested as physical pain on his part, so how come you were fine? how were you able to move on in your life as if nothing happened? sadness and hurt turned into something more despicable: how dare you not feel the same pain he did? seeing you so happy twisted the knife deeper in his heart. how could you?  
conflicting emotions; he wanted to see you happy. he also wanted to see you suffer with him.

his glowering must’ve been pretty obvious as connor “addressed” him, asking if he was alright, to which he replied with a curt « all systems fully functional ». clearly the wrong answer as the rk800 frowned slightly and asked him to follow him. nines did as told.  
you watched him as he left, but he’d never know that.

the alleyway wasn’t the cleanest of places, but it was private and quiet enough that the two could converse verbally.  
connor watched his younger brother, concern in his eyes, and tentatively threaded the topic of his relationship with you.  
nines squinted his eyes fractionally as he observed his brother, pausing before dismissing anything connor may have assumed:  
« i don’t know what you’re trying to insinuate.  
_the older model raised a brow in as he doubted his younger counterpart’s words._  
– you’ve been scowling at them for the past few minutes.  
– everything is perfectly fine between me and the detective. _he forced out, probably more defensive and harsh than he meant it to be, as his brother’s eyes widened slightly, flashing with something akin to recognition._  
_there was a pause before connor spoke up._  
– are you… jealous? _he finally asked._ »

nines looked a bit more than scandalised as the thought of being jealous, face contorted to slight disgust:  
« that’s preposterous. _he scoffed._ jealous? jealous of what?  
_connor thought back about the scene before he intervened: nines was glaring intensely at you and colin, just after you laughed at one of his quips._  
– well for one, of collin. how he managed to get [ ᶠᴵᴿˢᵀ ᴺᴬᴹᴱ ]’s attention. maybe you’re yearning for theirs, for their affection.  
_his proposition has certainly made nines realise something as his eyes widened, making him look like a deer caught in the headlights._  
– what are you trying to say? _his voice wavered in unsurety._  
– what i’m trying to say is tha— »  
he didn’t manage to finish his statement as another voice, not too dissimilar to his own cut him off, announcing how “nines had the hots” for you.  
connor looked slightly irked at being interrupted while nines quickly dismissed the statement before fully processing it.  
colin was slightly taken aback by the quick rejection, before smirked mischievously:  
« great! then you wouldn’t mind if i asked them out right?  
– colin! _exclaimed his twin._ »

a sudden rage took over nines’ body as he pushed colin out of the doorway and stormed back inside the bar.  
a few beats passed before connor threw a chastising look at his twin, which colin shrugged nonchalantly to.

yes, nines knew what dating was. he knew that if two individuals were to harbour romantic feelings for each other, they would come together and be “dating each other”.  
_date1 /dāt/_  
verb  
gerund or present participle: dating  
3\. go out with (someone in whom one is romantically or sexually interested).  
technically, it was fine. logically, it was fine. he didn’t own you. if you were to date his brother, then that would be your choice. but the thought of you being close and loving someone other than him felt so incredibly wrong.  
he wanted to leave. he needed to leave. this is all too much. he had feelings for you? he needed time to digest that statement.  
in his rush to get out, he accidentally bumped into another person, who made a small « oof » and an apology. he was about to apologise as well when you both realised who you were talking to.

« nines! i’ve been looking for you! can we… uh, talk? »  
he realised from this distance that he could smell your scent: lavender, fabric softener, and something pleasant that was unmistakably you.  
he nodded and followed you absentmindedly. how did you have this power to erase all thoughts from his mind, make him think of you and only you? has he really fallen for you?  
you both went outside, a distance away from the bar’s entrance when you finally restarted the conversation:  
« nines.  
– detective. »  
you bit your lips at that reply, and he realised now you looked tired, that radiant smile absent.  
« look, nines, i- i’m not blind, okay?... i-i know when someone’s avoiding me.  
– what do you mean detect—  
– i thought i told you that it was alright to call me by my first name… look, i… by “avoiding” i mean this. acting like you don’t know me. speaking to me as if we were just “coworkers”. acting like we aren’t friends.  
_you sounded tired, the lilt in your voice that he has grown accustomed to sullen._  
– i’m not avoiding you. _he lied, but he knew you were smarter than that._  
– nines please don’t lie… this distance… between us. i don’t understand, nines. _your voice cracked._ what happened? Why are you doing this? »

watching you hurt inside because of him was worse than any punishment he could’ve received. any and all previous wishes for you to suffer was quickly erased. he’s much rather suffer alone than watch you break.  
he took hesitant steps back. away from you. distancing himself from you. you noticed his actions and whispered a desperate « nines… please… »  
he wanted to run away. he wanted to stay. he wanted to leave and pretend this conversation never happened. he wanted to hold you and tell you everything: his fears, his doubts, his growing affection for you.  
in the end, he found himself running away from his problems like a coward.  
you didn’t bother to chase after him, desperately crying out « please… please don’t run from me conan. », last part choked out as you tried to hold yourself together.  
hearing your voice crack and waver because of him was awful. he wanted to turn back. comfort you. But his body didn’t obey him. when he finally stopped to pay attention to where he was going, he was right back at his shared flat.  
he swallowed dryly and moved to enter his house, a solemn air around him.

 

* * *

 

the next few days were absolutely torturous. he increased his initiative to avoid you, never seen in the same place as you, much to your chagrin.  
an act so blatant than someone as ignorant as reed noticed, an act that become the core of his recent round of taunts.  
avoiding you hurt. so why did he continue to do it? the thought of approaching the subject made him go cold. it immobilised him, stopped him from uttering a single word. a quick search told him he was scared. nervous.  
for rejection.  
he doesn’t know if his heart could take much more.  
he does resolve to tell you one day… just… not today…

but maybe he should’ve taken the chance when it was presented to him, as he may never get one again.

 

* * *

 

you died. well, you almost did. his mind jumping to the worst case scenarios as anxiety filled his system.  
arrest gone wrong. gunshot. 9mm bullets  
embedded within your abdomen. what if it hit your vascular system?  
you were rushed into the er.  
he knew that in this profession, the chances for an individual to be shot rises. but he didn’t expect to grow so attached to one of them.  
so as the surgeons work to quickly remove all bullets from your body, he sat, rigid, as he waited for the procedure to be done. he fiddled anxiously with his coin when your partner placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
he mechanically glanced at its owner, who told him to not worry, that you’re “too much of a stubborn ass” to die from this event.  
he didn't acknowledge colin’s input as he continues to play with the quarter. he should’ve told you. told you when he had the chance.

the clock ticked. and ticked. and ticked. when finally, the surgeon informed the two that you were alright. they managed to take out all the bullets. your condition was stable. you were ok. heavily sedated and going to be in a lot of pain. but you were ok.  
nines didn’t stop the heavy sigh of relief that escaped him.  
the doctor told them that visits will be allowed as soon as you were settled in recovery.  
he was going to tell you. he told himself, like an unspoken promise. he was going to tell you then. it’s the least you deserve. he was going to apologise and come clean. hopefully you’ll have it in you to forgive him.

 

* * *

 

when you finally came to, your body ached, you didn’t want to move, so you settled with eyeing your room.  
what happened? you were chasing this guy… and he pulled out a gun… pain and then darkness. and now you’re here. the recovery room was filled with gifts and get-well soon cards. balloons of assorted colours filled the room, bouquets of diverse types of flowers adorned the table.

« you’re awake. »

you turned your head at the source, seeing connor at the doorway.  
« how— _you cleared your throat_ —how long was i gone for? _you asked, voice raspy._  
– around 3 days and a half. you’d gain consciousness a few times, but you were too heavily sedated to be fully coherent. _he explained as he took a seat near the bed._  
you groaned.  
– gosh that long? _connor nodded._ how’s colin?  
– doing pretty well all things considered. he does, however, feel immensely guilty about failing to protect you.  
– well, tell him it’s not his fault and that i forgive everything he’s blaming himself with. _you worried about him. despite sixty’s mischievous exterior, he had a tendency to get himself stuck in a depressive loop of self-deprecation._  
connor smiled graciously.  
– will do… _he placed a paper cup filled with what you assumed was thirium on the floor._ how are you feeling?  
– everything hurts but i’ll live, _you quipped._ »  
the android chuckled and was about to reply when a knock caught both of your attention. the door creaked slightly open, as nines peered in. he hesitated before asking if he may speak with you. the “alone” part being left unsaid as connor bid you farewell and left.

you and your former partner were locked in an intense stareoff, you on the bed on one end and him glued to the door on the other.  
he took tentative steps towards you. closing that distance. when he was besides your bed, he nervously called out your name.  
you parroted him, mustering out a curt « conan. »  
he took a deep breath that he technically didn’t need and whispered out an apology:  
« i… i’m sorry. for everything i’ve caused—for all the hurt i’ve caused… for what it’s worth… i never meant for all this to happen. » his voice was clipped as guilt overcame him.  
you watched him, silent as ever. he wished you would say something, anything. the silence was deafening.

« then please tell me why…  
_he promised himself that he’d come clean._  
– i… i don’t… i don’t think i know... for sure… i experienced anomalies in my system when i was around you.. you’d consume my every thought, i’d feel immobilised and i… i’ve been told that i’m being nervous… i’ve been told that i harboured romantic feelings for you… i-i don’t know.  
i… i yearn for your attention, your touch, your affection… but is it right for something like me to desire such a thing? am-am i broken…? _his voice was barely a whisper when he choked out the lay part, and he waited for his response, growing more anxious as each second ticked by. what if you didn’t want him? what if he wasn’t enough?_  
– no, you aren’t broken. _you shook your head._ just human. »

nines. confident and assured nines was an insecure and trembling mess as he poured out all of the doubts that plagued his mind. your heart aches as you wished to comfort him, so you do.  
you reached out, best you can, and grabbed him into a bone crushing hug. an action that took him by surprised as he stiffened at your touch. but he soon relaxed and carefully snaked his arms around your waist, returning the hug. you slowly caressed his hair as he nuzzled into your neck.

you both stay like this for a moment, relishing in each others presence, before you spoke up again:  
« it’s okay to be unsure, you know. _he stopped his nuzzling, indicating to you that he was listening._ if you don’t feel ready at the moment… if you just wanna be friends for the time being, i’m ok with that. and if one day you decide that you want to be more, just remember i’ll be right here. »  
you pressed a gentle kiss on the crown of his head and stayed in that position for a while, neither wanting to part ways, but this awkwardly positioned hug took a toll on your back so the both of you half heartedly pulled away from each other. hands holding the other’s, you asked for one more request:  
« just promise me one thing.  
– anything, _he breathed out._  
– please… don’t ever run from me again.  
– never. _he promised, fully intending to fulfill said request._ »

« thank you. »

**Author's Note:**

> alternative title of this fic: "Connor: Become Interrupted"
> 
> *english is not my first language  
> *lowercase is intentional
> 
> like it? hate it? feedbacks are appreciated c:


End file.
